Large and In Charge

From the July / August 2010 issue of The Car Room Magazine

One of the most prestigious Cadillacs to ever hail from GM was also one the largest. Originally launched in 1949, the Coupe de Ville was the flagship of the Cadillac flotilla, sharing a platform with the rest of the Series 62s.

Displaced as top dog in 1953 by the Eldorado, for 1954, the 2-door “all steel roof” Coupe Deville was not about performance, it was all about style - and no American made luxury car said “I have arrived” better.  Weighing in at 4,400 pounds, with a wheelbase of just under 130 inches, the Cad’s turning radius was 24 feet; large, in charge, (and a bit of a barge) the de Ville brought many of its sporty Eldorado stablemate’s styling cues over as a two-door hardtop.

Danbury Mint recently released the 1954 Cadillac Coupe de Ville in a beautiful Gander Grey metallic. While many collectors hoped to see a 2-tone paint job on this massive car, the reserved tone of the Gander Grey is beautifully off set with miles and miles of perfectly placed chrome trim, from the Dagmars on the front bumpers to the rear bumper exhaust ports. Designer Harley Earl’s touch is everywhere; big wraparound bumpers and grille work up front topped by a golden “V” and Caddy crest set the stage for a show that ends with nascent tail fins out back. As in life, the left taillight lens lifts upward for access to the gas cap.
 
The doors open flawlessly and close with a click on extremely tight shut lines. Inside, it’s all about ‘50s luxury at its best; the leather and broadcloth upholstery is perfectly rendered in miniature. The speedometer is readable, the steering wheel turns the front tires, and the door panels are two-toned and trimmed out in chrome. Get a finger in, and the front seats fold forward. Go deeper, and the rear armrest flips down. Under the dash sits the factory A/C unit; up top is the sensor for the lights and windshield wiper system.

In the trunk is a removable spare tire on a wall-to-wall mat. The underside of the trunk lid is padded between the supports, and further detailed with jacking instructions above an opening rimmed with convincing weather stripping - not rubber, but well done.

Under the hood sits the 230-horse Caddy 331 cubic inch engine; painted and put together beautifully, this may be Danbury’s best motor yet - every hose, belt and wire fully is realized here in scale.

This is one you absolutely do not want to miss out on. As a limited edition of 5,000 pieces, it’s available now at $149.00.  - CRM

1954 Cadillac Coupe de Ville, item 9173-0010. www.danburymint.com, 800-243-4664

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